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AARP Foundation Litigation: Our Current and Recent Cases
Fighting in court for the rights of older adults
AARP Foundation goes to court to protect the rights of people 50 and older, especially those with low incomes. This page lists the lawsuits and legal complaints AARP Foundation attorneys are pursuing now or have recently resolved, organized by topic. Each entry includes a plain-language summary, the current status, and links to court documents, news releases and personal stories.
Jump to: Housing and home equity · Retirement and pensions · Work and age discrimination · Long-term care and disability rights · Common questions
Last updated: October 2026
Housing and home equity
Unison "home equity investment" lawsuits (Washington, D.C.)
Status: Active
Unison offers homeowners cash now in exchange for a share of their home's future value, marketing it as a "home equity investment." Two lawsuits allege the product is really an unlicensed, high-cost mortgage loan that drains older homeowners' equity, in violation of D.C. law.
- National Association of Consumer Advocates v. Unison Agreement Corporation et al. · Superior Court of the District of Columbia · Case no. 2026-CAB-000955 · Filed February 11, 2026
- Evans v. Unison Agreement Corporation et al. · U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (moved from D.C. Superior Court on March 23, 2026) · Case no. 1:26-cv-00999-RC · Filed February 5, 2026
Read more: NACA lawsuit (PDF) · Evans lawsuit (PDF) · News release: New Lawsuit Alleges Deceptive Home Equity "Investments" Strip Homeowners of Hard-Earned Equity
Illegal reverse mortgage fees: Rizzati v. Celink (New York)
Status: Active
A reverse mortgage lets homeowners 62 and older borrow against their home's value. This class action alleges that Celink and other reverse mortgage servicers charged older homeowners improper fees, including inspection, appraisal and attorney's fees, and skipped legally required notices before foreclosing, in violation of federal and state law.
Case: Rizzati et al. v. Celink et al. · U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York · Case no. 2:26-cv-00277 · Filed January 16, 2026
Read more: The lawsuit (PDF) · News release: New Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Reverse Mortgage Companies Charged Thousands of Dollars in Illegal Fees to Older Homeowners
Unfair reverse mortgage charges: Dancy-Wilkins v. Compu-Link (nationwide)
Status: Active
This nationwide class action alleges that Compu-Link (doing business as Celink) and other reverse mortgage servicers added unwarranted fees and charges to older borrowers' loan balances and pursued foreclosures without required notice. It asks the court to correct borrowers' balances and stop the practices.
Case: Dancy-Wilkins et al. v. Compu-Link Corporation et al. · U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York · Case no. 2:22-cv-06208-JS-LGD · Filed October 14, 2022
Read more: The lawsuit (PDF) · News release: AARP Foundation Joins Class Action Lawsuit Against Reverse Mortgage Companies
Surprise property-tax bills: Shakespeare v. Live Well Financial (New York)
Status: Settled (September 30, 2026)
This class action alleged that Live Well Financial and other reverse mortgage servicers paid older homeowners' property taxes without notice or legal authority, then wrongly demanded repayment from the homeowners' personal funds.
Case: Shakespeare et al. v. Live Well Financial et al. · U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York · Case no. 2:18-cv-7299 · Filed December 21, 2018
Read more: The lawsuit (PDF)
Retirement and pensions
High-fee retirement investments: Byrne v. TIAA (New York)
Status: Active
This class action alleges that TIAA, as manager of its own employees' retirement plan, steered workers' savings into TIAA-affiliated investments with higher fees and kept poor performers on the menu when better, lower-cost options were available, in violation of federal law.
Case: Byrne et al. v. Teachers Insurance & Annuity Association of America et al. · U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York · Case no. 1:25-cv-04228 · Filed September 3, 2025
Read more: The amended lawsuit (PDF) · AARP Foundation Joins Case Over TIAA's Plan Management · Brian Byrne's story
Lost church retirement savings: AME Church retirement fund case (Tennessee)
Status: Active; partial settlements ($106.2 million)
About 5,000 workers and retirees of the African Methodist Episcopal Church alleged their retirement accounts were grossly mishandled. Partial settlements thus far totaling $106.2 million will restore earned retirement funds to thousands of them.
Case: In re: AME Church Employee Retirement Fund Litigation · U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee · Case no. 1:22-md-03035-STA-jay · Filed August 19, 2022
Read more: The amended lawsuit (PDF) · AARP Foundation Recovers $60 Million in Lawsuit with AME Church · News release: $60 Million Settlement Will Restore Earned Retirement Funds · A minister's fight to restore his retirement
Slashed hospital pensions: Hartshorne v. Diocese of Albany (New York)
Status: Won at trial; on appeal
In December 2025, a jury found the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany and other defendants liable for breaching their duties to about 1,100 former St. Clare's Hospital employees, whose promised pensions were stopped or sharply cut. The jury awarded $54.2 million plus interest. The defendants have appealed.
Case: Hartshorne et al. v. Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, New York et al. · New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department · Case nos. CV-26-0104 and CV-26-0636 · Appealed January 7, 2026
Read more: The lawsuit (PDF) · Diocese Found Liable for $54.2M in Pension Lawsuit · Inside the landmark St. Clare's Hospital pension case · Mary Hartshorne's story
Work and age discrimination
Jobs reserved for recent graduates: Goldstein v. RTX (Raytheon)
Status: Active
This class and collective action alleges that RTX, Raytheon's parent company, reserved certain jobs only for recent college graduates, shutting out experienced older applicants in violation of federal and state age discrimination laws.
Case: Goldstein et al. v. RTX Corporation et al. · U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware · Case no. 1:24-cv-01169-JLH-SRF · Filed November 20, 2024
Read more: The lawsuit (PDF) · Second amended lawsuit (PDF) · News release: Lawsuit Alleges Raytheon Discriminated Against Older Workers in Hiring · AARP Foundation Sues Raytheon for Age Discrimination
Biased job ads on Facebook: Real Women in Trucking v. Meta
Status: Closed (September 25, 2026)
This charge before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleged that Meta's job-ad algorithm used age and gender to decide who saw job ads, keeping many ads from older workers and steering jobs by gender stereotype.
Case: Real Women in Trucking v. Meta Platforms, Inc. · U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission · Charge no. 570-2023-00655 · Filed December 19, 2023
Read more: News release: AARP Foundation Joins Class Action Charge Against Meta's Job Ad Algorithm · How REAL Women in Trucking fought job ad bias
Workplace wellness penalties: Jones v. Austin Industries
Status: Closed (January 8, 2026)
This EEOC charge alleged that Austin Industries' workplace wellness program, which charged employees an insurance surcharge for not participating, violated federal law.
Case: Jones v. Austin Industries · U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission · Charge no. 2022-440-07338 · Filed July 18, 2022
Read more: AARP Foundation Files Charge Against Workplace Wellness Program · Shawn Jones's story
Unpaid wages for home care aides: Bobb v. FinePoints (Maryland)
Status: Won (court judgment, August 8, 2025); in collections
Home care workers alleged in a collective action that FinePoints Private Duty Healthcare failed to pay them all the wages they were owed under federal law. On August 8, 2025, the court entered a default judgment against FinePoints.
Case: Bobb et al. v. FinePoints Private Duty Healthcare, LLC et al. · U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland · Case no. 1:23-cv-03129 · Filed November 16, 2023
Read more: The lawsuit (PDF) · The court's judgment (PDF) · News release: Class Action Against Maryland Home Care Agency Alleges Wage Theft · Margaret Bobb's story · Legal victory for home care worker rights
Long-term care and disability rights
Leaving nursing homes for care at home: Brown v. District of Columbia
Status: Won in trial court; on appeal
In December 2024, a federal court ruled that the District of Columbia violated federal law and the rights of residents with disabilities by failing to help them leave nursing facilities and get care in their communities. The court ordered D.C. to build a working system to help people transition home. D.C. has appealed.
Case: Brown et al. v. District of Columbia · U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit · Case no. 25-7135 · Trial court decision December 31, 2024 · Appealed September 15, 2025
Read more: The court's decision (PDF) · News release: Landmark Decision Enables Thousands of D.C. Residents to Transition Out of Nursing Facilities · Our brief to the appeals court (PDF) · Supporting brief (PDF)
Home care for older and disabled residents: Fitzmorris v. New Hampshire
Status: Proposed settlement (October 2026), awaiting court approval
This class action alleges that New Hampshire failed to provide enough Medicaid home- and community-based services for older adults and people with disabilities, in violation of federal law. In October 2026, the parties reached a proposed settlement to help thousands of residents stay in their homes.
Case: Fitzmorris et al. v. New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services · U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire · Case no. 1:21-cv-25-PB · Filed January 11, 2021
Read more: The lawsuit (PDF) · Court ruling allowing the case to proceed (PDF) · News release: Federal Court Allows Major Disability Rights Case to Proceed (April 23, 2026) · News release: Proposed Settlement Reached to Help Older New Hampshire Residents Stay in Their Homes (October 7, 2026)
Nursing home understaffing: Doe v. Alden Group (Illinois)
Status: Active
This class action alleges that the Alden Group and its Illinois nursing facilities deliberately understaffed their buildings, neglecting long-term residents and putting them at risk of harm, in violation of state law.
Case: Doe et al. v. Alden Group Ltd. et al. · Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Chancery Division · Case no. 22-CH-9574 · Filed September 27, 2022
Read more: The amended lawsuit (PDF) · Court ruling on the motion to dismiss (PDF) · News release: Class Action Seeks to Protect Alden Nursing Facility Residents from Neglect
Care promised but not staffed: Bright v. Brookdale Senior Living (Tennessee)
Status: Active
This class action alleges that Brookdale advertised care based on each resident's assessed needs, but actually staffed its senior living communities using a model built around profit targets, in violation of state consumer protection laws.
Case: Bright et al. v. Brookdale Senior Living Inc. · U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee · Case no. 19-cv-00374 · Filed May 3, 2019
Read more: The lawsuit (PDF)
Understaffed assisted living: Reuschel v. Chancellor Senior Management (West Virginia)
Status: Settled (August 18, 2025)
This class action alleged that Chancellor Senior Management marketed and charged for specific levels of care, then failed to provide enough staff to deliver it, in violation of state consumer protection laws.
Case: Reuschel et al. v. Chancellor Senior Management Ltd. · U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia · Case no. 5:22-cv-00279 · Filed July 7, 2022
Read more: The lawsuit (PDF)
Wheelchair users barred from adult care homes: Fair Housing Justice Center v. McDonald (New York)
Status: Active; partial settlement
This class action challenges New York's blanket rule barring people who use wheelchairs from living in adult care facilities across the state, alleging it violates federal fair housing and disability rights laws.
Case: Fair Housing Justice Center, Inc. et al. v. McDonald et al. · U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York · Case no. 1:18-cv-03196 · Filed August 14, 2018
Read more: The amended lawsuit (PDF) · Partial settlement agreement (PDF) · Court ruling on summary judgment (PDF) · News release: Lawsuit Settled Against Adult Care Facilities (2021) · News release: Landmark Settlement Tackles Discrimination in New York Assisted Living Facilities (2025)
Common questions
A: AARP Foundation does not take cases or provide legal advice in matters that affect one or only a few individuals who may have experienced isolated incidents of discrimination or harm. You may want to reach out to a state or local bar association for legal advice about your situation.
A: Many of AARP Foundation's cases are class actions. The materials listed under each lawsuit explain who may be included. For questions about a specific case, please contact Litigation@aarp.org.
A: AARP Foundation Litigation is the Foundation's team of attorneys and legal professionals who bring lawsuits, join cases, and file legal complaints on behalf of older adults. AARP Foundation is the charitable affiliate of AARP.
A: We update this page when cases are filed, decided or resolved.
2026 Supreme Court Preview
The Supreme Court often hears cases affecting the lives of people over 50. Read our review of key cases coming before the Court this year and likely to come in the future.
2026 Supreme Court Preview
The Supreme Court often hears cases affecting the lives of people over 50. Read our review of key cases coming before the Court this year and likely to come in the future.